Official Name: Al-Mamlakah al-Maghribiyah (Kingdom of Morocco)

Area: Africa

Size: 446,550 km²

Coastline: 1,835 km

Independence: from France March 2, 1956 

Form of Govt.: Constitutional monarchy

Head of Govt.: Prime Minister

Capital: Rabat

Largest City: Casablanca

Demographics (2005): 33,241,259.     70 /km² 

Arab-Berber 99.1%, other 0.7%, Jewish 0.2%

GDP per Capita (2005): $4,503

Languages: Arabic (official), Spanish, Berber dialects, French often the language of business, government, and diplomacy.

Geography: The country is divided into three topographical regions. (1.) An open area in the northwest which is enclosed by a complex and rugged area of mountains known as the Rif. (2.) The mountains and plateaux in the eastern and southern areas which include the Atlas Mountains as well as the Sarho Mountains while the plateaux are characterized by the arid rolling Dhara Plateau. (3.) The coastal plains of the west which include the fertile Gharb, Chaouia, Doukkala, Meseta, Abda, Djebilet and Rehmana Plains. The principal rivers are the Moulouya, Oumer Rebia, Sobou, Bou Regreg, Tensift, Draa and Sous.

Climate: Morocco has two climatic zones. (1.) a Mediterranean climate in the north and central areas that is characterized by warm wet winters and hot dry summers. (2.) A semiarid climate which is predominant in the pre-Sahara region. The wet seasons are from April to May and October to November with average annual precipitation varying from 254 mm to 100 mm depending on the region. During summer the intensely hot winds of the Sahara Desert known as the Sirocco or Chergui prevails. Average temperature ranges in Rabat are from 8 to 17 degrees in January to 18 to 28 degrees in August.